• One summer, in April 1978, in Thailand refugee camp, Thai police forced us to leave the camp to go back to Cambodia. They lined up hundreds of buses to take us to the mountains called Phnom Donh Rek. It took us a day and a half to get there. When we got there, they forced us to get out and go through the jungle and down the steep mountains.
    It took us about half an hour or so to get down. Halfway there we met several men. One of them came to me and my family and told us that down there is very dangerous because there is thousands and thousands of mines buried below. We all were so scared, we didn’t know what to do. We know nothing about the bombs or the mines, so my mom asked him how to cross the minefield.
    He told us that he will take us to a safe ground. During then he took my hand and walked me through the minefield. When we got to the safe place, he told us that to stay put because the sun is going down and it’s not safe to travel through the minefield.
    Well, when I went through the minefield, I was so thirsty because it’s summer. I asked the guy, I said, “Is there water around here? Is there a creek or a river around here? Because I’m thirsty.” He looked at me and said, “ There is water a little bit further down, but I’m afraid that it is very dangerous to get the water because they put the most mines around there.”
    And I asked him, “How do we get some water?”
    He told me, “Don’t worry, I will get some for you.” At that time, my mom was so tired. She told me to go with the man and get some water. He replied,” Don’t worry; It’s safe here. I’ll take your daughter with me to get some water.” And then he took me down to the creek. I think I had some sort of canteen with me. I drank some water, and then I filled up the canteen. And when he took me back, he took my sister and my mom and me to the safe place. We stayed there, and then he said, “Good luck to you, I will have to leave you here. I have to help other families back there.”
    From then on, we tried to follow other people until we passed the mine field. We had thanked him for all his help and then we continued on.
    The man that saved my life and my family through this day I never knew who he was. He changed my life. Without his help, I would not be here today. His kindness changed how I feel about helping other people.